1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to hinged windshields for golf carts. More particularly, this invention relates to retaining latches for golf cart windshields that retain the windshields in their upright, closed position about the front of the golf cart.
2. Description of the Background Art
Golf carts are typically motorized vehicles, gas or electric, that comprise a body portion including a driver's seat and a passenger seat with a storage area in the rear for storing a pair of golf bags in an upright position. Most golf carts include a roof structure positioned above the body portion by means of four upright corner supports. The roof structure provides at least partial protection to the golfers in the golf cart during inclement weather such as rain, and also at least partially shades the golfers during sunny weather.
Golf cart roof structures do not provide complete protection since the front, rear and sides are open. Accordingly, there presently exist numerous types of enclosures for golf carts which are designed to provide added protection to the golfers seated therein. Generally, golf cart enclosures are composed of a canvas or vinyl material having a plurality of panels which are configured to be supported about the front, rear and side openings of the golf cart. The panels in some of these enclosures are suspended directly from the roof structure of the golf cart whereas others are suspended from a canvas or vinyl roof panel designed to be positioned over the roof structure of a golf cart so that the panels are suspended downwardly therefrom about the front, rear and side openings of the golf cart. Various means are provided for securing the lower edges of the panels to the lower edges of the golf cart in order to retain them in proper position. Most importantly, the front and typically the rear and side panels include sections of transparent vinyl which function as windshields or windows permitting the golfers to see out of the golf cart when fully enclosed in the enclosure. Representative golf cart enclosures are described and illustrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,259,656, 4,621,859, 5,310,235, 4,773,694, 4,098,536 and 4,488,750, the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein.
The earliest models of golf cart enclosures included four panels (front, rear and side panels) as described above. However, it was soon realized that most golfers kept the front panel rolled down to function as a windshield even during good weather conditions. Golfers particularly favored keeping the front panel rolled down to function as a windshield to block the flow of air during operation of the golf cart. These front panels soon became known as "soft" fronts or windshields, and were particularly favored by golfers during cooler weather and light rain, because the soft windshield sufficiently deflected oncoming air to keep the golfers comfortable during movement of the golf cart. In many situations, the soft windshields were left in place almost year round.
Windshields composed of transparent hard materials such as a transparent acrylic or glass, for golf carts were soon developed. These became known as "hard" windshields to distinguish them from the "soft" windshields composed of the transparent vinyl front panel of a golf cart enclosure. Indeed, golf cart enclosures were soon being manufactured as "four-sided" versions with a front panel having a soft front or windshield, paired side panels, and a rear panel and "three-sided" versions having only side panels and a rear panel intended to be used on golf carts with hard windshields.
Presently, there exists many types of hard windshields. Some are composed simply of a flat, hard transparent material that is permanently affixed to the front roof structure supports, others are entirely removable and still others are connected to the roof structure supports in such a manner that the windshield may be rolled out of the way up under the roof structure. Representative windshields for golf carts are described and illustrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,195,797, 5,192,109, 5,110,174, 4,819,979, 4,795,205, 4,792,175, 4,773,695, 4,343,503, 4,014,589 and 3,958,826, the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein.
One particular type of hard windshield consists of lower and upper sheets of transparent material, such as clear acrylic or Lexan, that are dimensioned to be positioned about the lower and upper openings of the golf cart, with the sides thereof secured to the left and right front roof structure supports, thereby functioning as lower and upper windshields. The mating edges of the lower and upper windshields are hingely connected together such as by means of a living hinge or the like. The opposing sides of the lower windshield are permanently secured to the front upstanding roof supports by means of threaded fasteners, rivets, or the like. Because of the living hinge, the upper windshield is permitted to fold down over the lower windshield in a stacked, parallel configuration such that the upper area of the front of the golf cart is "open". When desired, the upper windshield may then be pivoted upwardly to a position substantially planar with the lower windshield, thereby "closing" the upper area of the front of the golf cart. Fastener means are provided for securing the upper windshield in such a "closed" position. In the industry, these types of windshields became known as "hinged windshields".
Presently, there exists numerous means for securing the upper windshield of the hinged windshield of the golf cart to the front upstanding supports of the roof structure. Historically, a hook and loop fastener such as that known by the trademark "Velcro" was first used by adhering one component of the fastener (hook or loop) to the opposing side edges of the upper windshield and adhering the other component or the fastener (loop or hook) to the front surface of the front roof structure supports. In this manner, as the upper windshield is moved to the vertical, closed position, the components of the hook and loop fastener are engaged and securely retains the upper windshield in the closed position. Unfortunately, however, due to the nature of the hook and loop fasteners, it is sometimes difficult for the golfer to pull the hook and loop fastener apart in order to lower the upper windshield.
Another type of fastener for golf cart hinged windshields comprises generally U-shaped retainer clips that are dimensioned and configured to resiliently grasp about the roof structure supports. Typically, one of these U-shaped clips is rigidly connected to each opposing side of the upper windshield such that when the upper windshield is closed, the U-shaped retainer clips snaps onto their respective roof structure supports, thereby securing the upper windshield in its closed position. Importantly, the golfer can easily open the windshield since U-shaped clips of this structure can more easily release from the upstanding supports than hook and loop type fasteners.
Still another type of fastener for golf cart hinged windshields comprises a rubber latch. Rubber latches of this type are permanently affixed to the front roof structure supports. They include an L-shaped or U-shaped configuration that can be bent backward during closing of the upper windshield and then released to resiliently engage the opposing side edges of the upper windshield when closed. Unfortunately, rubber latches of this character tend to lose their inherent "memory" after repeated use thereby requiring replacement.
Still other types of fasteners for golf cart hinged windshields include articulated knobs or latches positioned through holes in the opposing sides of the upper windshield in such manner that when the upper windshield is closed, the knob or latch can be operated to rigidly engage into a hole in the supports or a bracket affixed to the supports, respectively. Unfortunately, articulated knobs and latches of this character require holes to be drilled through the opposing sides of the upper windshield, thereby increasing the manufacturing cost since acrylic is notch sensitive and relatively brittle. Moreover, repeated operation of the knob or latch of this character sometimes results in a degradation of the hole in the acrylic.
Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide an improvement which overcomes the aforementioned inadequacies of the prior art devices and provides an improvement which is a significant contribution to the advancement of the golf cart windshield art.
Another object of this invention is to provide an improved retaining latch for use in connection with a hinged windshield for a golf cart, the hinged windshield having a portion overlying the front of a roof structure support, the retaining latch comprising a squared S-shaped latch having serially connected first outer transverse member, first outer longitudinal member, middle transverse member, second outer transverse member and second outer transverse member that define a squared "S" configuration; and means for clamping one of the outer longitudinal members to a side of the support, whereby a first lobe defined by the first outer transverse member, first outer longitudinal member, and middle transverse member of the squared S-shaped latch is positioned about the support with the clamp means being positioned over the first outer longitudinal member and secured to a side of the support, whereby a second lobe defined by the middle transverse member, second outer transverse member and second outer transverse member functions as a handle that can be easily grasped and twisted such that the first outer transverse member moves across the front of the closed upper windshield to securely retain the upper windshield in the closed position and whereby the upper windshield may be released by grasping the second lobe and twisting it until the first outer transverse member pivots away from the front of the upper windshield.
The foregoing has outlined some of the pertinent objects of the invention. These objects should be construed to merely illustrative of some of the more prominent features and applications of the intended invention. Many other beneficial results can be attained by applying the disclosed invention in a different manner or modifying the invention within the scope of the disclosure. Accordingly, other objects and a fuller understanding of the invention and the detailed description of the preferred embodiment in addition to the scope of the invention defined by the claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.